


Familiar Mischief

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Familiars, Fantasy AU, Gen, fox!Atsumu, fox!Osamu, mage!Kita
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: Shinsuke reached behind a cluster of daisies against the wall, searching for the clippers he’d just dropped. Instead of the handle of his clippers, though, Shinsuke’s fingertips brushed something soft and fluffy.Not again… Shinsuke pulled his hand back, but it wasn’t fast enough. A strong jaw clamped around his hand with a sleepy growl, digging sharp teeth into his skin. Shinsuke hissed and tried to yank his hand away from the bite, but only succeeded in dragging out the toothy creature that had been napping behind his flowers. A grayish brown fox hung from his hand, ears back and blinking at him in confusion.“How many times have I told you not to sleep there?” Shinsuke muttered, carefully prying open the fox’s jaw so he could retrieve his injured hand. Not for the first time, he wondered how on earth he’d ended up in this situation.





	Familiar Mischief

**Author's Note:**

  * For [A_Sirens_Lullaby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Sirens_Lullaby/gifts).



> This is part of a collab I'm doing with Siren, so keep an eye out for her companion artwork coming soon!  
> Update: LINK TO THE BEAUTIFUL ART AT THE END CHECK IT OUT

Shinsuke reached behind a cluster of daisies against the wall, searching for the clippers he’d just dropped. Instead of the handle of his clippers, though, Shinsuke’s fingertips brushed something soft and fluffy. 

_ Not again… _ Shinsuke pulled his hand back, but it wasn’t fast enough. A strong jaw clamped around his hand with a sleepy growl, digging sharp teeth into his skin. Shinsuke hissed and tried to yank his hand away from the bite, but only succeeded in dragging out the toothy creature that had been napping behind his flowers. A grayish brown fox hung from his hand, ears back and blinking at him in confusion.

“How many times have I told you not to sleep there?” Shinsuke muttered, carefully prying open the fox’s jaw so he could retrieve his injured hand. Not for the first time, he wondered how on earth he’d ended up in this situation.

* * *

 

_ Shinsuke really wasn’t a fan of familiars, but he really needed one if he was going to inherit his grandmother’s flower shop. The shop’s wards and the spells that maintained the irrigation and nurtured the plants required more magical energy than he was capable of maintaining by himself. So here he was, holding a bundle of flowers over the candle at the center of his summoning circle. Violets for faithfulness, magnolias for dignity, lisianthus for calm, and gladiolus for strength and determination, all qualities Shinsuke would appreciate in a familiar. He lowered the small bouquet until the top of it dipped into the flames. _

_ The mingled scents of flowers and flame swept around the room, and the fire licked up the stems more quickly than Shinsuke expected. He hissed and dropped the bundle, which landed upside down on the candle and was engulfed in unnaturally silver flames in the same instant.  _

_ The candle went out, and Shinsuke was left staring at his summoning circle and a small pile of ashes around the center, where the candle stood.  _

_ That...had not gone as expected. Shinsuke sighed, shaking his head as he reached for the dustpan and broom against the wall. He would have to clean up and try again with better flowers.  _

_ “You summoned me,” a low, surprised voice commented. Shinsuke froze. He slowly lifted his head and stared at the far side of the circle, where a fox with soft gray-brown fur stood. The animal was small, with sharp, intelligent eyes.  _

_ “I didn’t realize-” _

_ “No, he summoned me! I’m stronger! I’d be a better familiar!” A second fox, this one golden brown, appeared out of nowhere and shouldered the first one out of the way. Shinsuke stared as the gray-brown fox regained its footing and threw itself at the newcomer, snarling.  _

_ “Go away, Atsumu! You’re going to ruin everything! Just like always!” _

_ “You’re the one who always ruins everything!”  _

_ “Excuse me,” Shinsuke called out hesitantly. “I’m terribly sorry, but neither of you seems to be what I was hoping for in a familiar, so-” _

_ “What? Of course we are! Your offering was clearly meant for a fox!” the first one protested.  _

_ “I burned a bouquet for a faithful, dignified, calm, strong, and determined familiar,” Shinsuke corrected. “So far you two are none of those things.” _

_ “That’s not what your offering asked for, though. You burned it upside down, so everything is inverted,” the golden brown fox pointed out. Shinsuke gaped at it for a second, then turned his astonishment on the ash around the candle. “This could be fun. What do you think, ‘Samu?”  _

_ “It’s only for a few decades,” the grayish fox replied, twitching its tail. “I guess I can put up with your stupid ideas.”  _

_ “What are you talking about?” Shinsuke asked, frowning.  _

_ “We’re both going to accept the open contract you made by burning those flowers!” the second fox explained. _

_ “What? No. I do not need a fox familiar, and I especially do not need two fox familiars,” Shinsuke insisted. At the same time, both foxes swiped a paw over the summoning circle, claws scraping through the chalk outline, ending the summoning ritual. Shinsuke’s veins crackled with heat, making him tense and gasp at the unfamiliar sensation of foreign magic coursing through him. _

_ “Too late!” the golden brown fox snickered. “We already accepted the contract!”  _

_ “Wait. ‘Tsumu, take a whiff of his magic,” the grayish fox hissed suddenly, its ears laying back in annoyance. “He’s a plant mage! And a weak one at that!” _

_ “I have plenty of power to make my potions and teas,” Shinsuke informed them, his voice a tad sharper than normal in his irritation.   _

_ “Damn it, Atsumu, you got us contracted to a small-time herbalist!”  _

_ “You’re the idiot who answered the summons first!” _

_ “You’re the one who was stupid enough to follow me and try to steal my contract!” _

_ “You are both free to cancel your contracts and leave,” Shinsuke offered. “I can repeat my offering with the flowers upright so I get a real familiar.”  _

_ “We are real familiars!” the golden brown fox yelped.  _

_ “Oh no. Now we have to stay out of spite, don’t we?” the gray-brown one sighed. “Atsumu, this is your fault.”  _

_ “Damn right we’re staying! You can’t get rid of us that easily!”  _

_ “No, really, feel free to leave at any time,” Shinsuke insisted. “I won’t be offended.” _

_ “You might not be, but we are!” the golden brown fox snapped. “At least use our names!” _

_ “I don’t know your names. And you don’t know mine, either,” Shinsuke pointed out. “Which is why you should go.”  _

_ “We do too know your name. You’re wearing a name tag, Shinsuke,” the golden brown one sneered. Shinsuke regretted not changing clothes after closing the shop for the day before he tried to summon a familiar. It did give him an idea, though. _

_ “Fine. If you two are staying, introduce yourselves, then help me do the evening chores,” Shinsuke replied. He enjoyed tidying the shop and preparing for the next day’s sales, but he was pretty sure these weird annoying foxes wouldn’t.  _

_ “I’m Atsumu, and that’s Osamu. What do you mean, chores?” the golden brown fox demanded. _

* * *

 

Shinsuke shook his head and used his uninjured hand to scoop up the grayish fox that had bitten him. 

“Osamu, you have a perfectly nice dog bed in the shop. Why do you always sleep in the greenhouse?” Shinsuke sighed as he carried his familiar over to the cabinet where he kept his first aid kit. Shinsuke set the fox down, and Osamu promptly pitched sideways until he was leaning against Shinsuke’s leg.

“‘Tsumu stole my bed,” Osamu mumbled, his words heavy and slow. 

“Atsumu is supposed to be renewing the wards this morning,” Shinsuke grimaced as he cleaned the bite wound. 

“He did. But he did it super fast ‘cause he’s a competitive shit and then he stole my bed,” Osamu complained, flopping onto the floor and curling around Shinsuke’s ankles. 

“Language, Osamu,” Shinsuke chided as he applied a touch of his own ointment to his wound and started wrapping it. 

“Atsumu  _ stole _ my  _ bed _ and you’re worried about me  _ swearing?” _ Osamu wailed, rolling over onto his back to stare up at Shinsuke with utter heartbreak in his little fox eyes. 

“You bit me,” Shinsuke replied, holding up his now-bandaged hand. Osamu’s eyes went wide, then darted to the side guiltily. Shinsuke leaned down and picked him up, lifting the fox so their faces were level. Osamu avoided meeting his eyes, turning his head to the side. “I know you never sleep well when you nap on the floor, and you always get snappy when you wake up. I will have a talk with Atsumu later. For now…” Shinsuke lifted and turned Osamu, draping the fox comfortably over his shoulders. “You can come with me while I cut the flowers I need for a big order this afternoon, then help me make a few potions. How does that sound?” 

“Like a lot of work,” Osamu grumbled. “Make Atsumu do it.” 

“Atsumu just did the wards, remember? He won’t have the energy to boost the magic in my potions.” Shinsuke’s lips quirked upwards slightly as he added, “You bit me, remember? You owe me a few potions.” Osamu’s ears flattened, and Shinsuke lifted a hand to scratch the fur behind them. Osamu’s tail thumped slowly against Shinsuke’s arm as he resumed the task he’d been working on before Osamu bit him.

* * *

 

Shinsuke sat on the floor, next to the sleeping golden brown form of Atsumu as he sprawled over both of the dog beds Shinsuke kept behind the counter in the shop for his two familiars. Osamu was curled up in Shinsuke’s lap, ears twitching in his sleep. He let out a soft growl, apparently annoyed with his dream, and Shinsuke stroked the soft fur on his head to calm him. Osamu settled down with a huff, allowing Shinsuke to return his attention to Atsumu, who must have woken up at Osamu’s growl, because he had lifted his head and was watching Shinsuke curiously. 

“I am very pleased that you reset the wards like I asked,” Shinsuke began, reaching out to scratch the top of Atsumu’s head. Atsumu’s tail thumped against the floor happily until Shinsuke pulled his hand back and fixed him with a disapproving look. “However, I am much less pleased that you stole your brother’s bed, leaving him to nap in the greenhouse where he ended up biting me when I accidentally woke him up.” Atsumu’s eyes widened as he took in Shinsuke’s bandages hand. 

“‘Samu should know better,” Atsumu sniffed. “And so should you. You know he snaps in his sleep.”

“Only when he is unable to sleep in his own bed,” Shinsuke replied sharply. Atsumu started to bristle, his ruff standing on end. “I am very disappointed in you, Atsumu.” Atsumu’s fur and ears fell flat. Shinsuke knew that was a bit of a low blow. Annoying their master, causing him trouble, pranking customers, that was all fun and games. But disappointing Shinsuke? That seemed to be the one thing they tried to avoid. Shinsuke wasn’t sure if it was a familiar thing or a fox thing or just an Osamu and Atsumu thing, but it was definitely a big thing and so he reserved his disappointment for important things. Like the time they broke all of his display vases and the time Osamu bit Atsumu hard enough to actually injure him when they were roughhousing. And now Shinsuke was pulling the disappointment card, hoping that he would finally stop Atsumu from stealing Osamu’s bed. 

“You’re…” Atsumu didn’t even want to say it. 

“Disappointed in you. Yes.  _ Very.” _ Atsumu seemed to shrink a little, curling his tail between his legs, then climbed off of Osamu’s bed and sat in the center of his own, head down like a scolded child. “I do not want to see you in Osamu’s bed again, is that understood?” Shinsuke pressed. Atsumu nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on his own paws. “Good. Then since both of you worked hard today, we can have something nice for dinner.” Atsumu’s ears perked up, and Osamu lifted his head. Shinsuke wasn’t sure how long Osamu had been awake, but mentioning food always got both foxes’ attention. 

“Rice?” Osamu rolled onto his back and pawed at Shinsuke’s arm. 

“And fish!” Atsumu added, forgetting his scolding and wriggling onto Shinsuke’s lap alongside Osamu. 

“I’ll make both,  _ and _ vegetables because no matter how much you two hate them, they make your fur look a lot healthier,” Shinsuke replied, petting them both as best he could. 

“But I just want rice!” 

“Forget your stupid rice, I want fish!” Atsumu lifted himself onto his hind legs and planted his paws on Shinsuke’s chest. “I didn’t bite you. I should get fish.”

“I didn’t steal someone else’s bed! I should get rice!” Osamu complained, pawing at Shinsuke’s arm again. Shinsuke let out a tiny exasperated sigh and rubbed Osamu’s belly with one hand while scratching Atsumu’s ears with the other. 

“What part of  _ I’ll make both _ was difficult to understand?” 

**Author's Note:**

> CHECK OUT SIRENS AMAZING ART FOR THIS FIC: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/a-sirens-lullaby/171349064185


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